A few newsworthy headlines hit the wire before and after Monday night's loss to the Diamondbacks. Here is the latest from the wire, including updates on Angel Guzman, Alfonso Soriano, Kerry Wood, possible fines for the Cubs, the pitching match-ups for the Brewers' series next week and a loss of one of the true journalists of the game....
According to a report in the Sun Times, Angel Guzman was in the Cubs' clubhouse on Monday night and said his recovery from Tommy John surgery "is going well enough that he plans to start a minor league rehab assignment within two weeks." The report indicated Guzman will have "an eye on returning to the active roster by mid-August."
Alfonso Soriano went 0-for-2 with a walk in his first rehab game on Monday. Soriano served as the team's DH and is expected to play in the outfield on Tuesday when he joins the Iowa Cubs in Tucson. Reports are indicating Soriano could return as early as Wednesday, but more than likely Soriano will return on Thursday at Wrigley. Lou Piniella stated the decision on Soriano's return would be made after Tuesday's game. The Sun-Times indicated Soriano "looked rusty and could use even more at bats than he'll get over the two to three days."
Kerry Wood is not heading to the DL, for now, as reports on Sunday night had suggested. Wood visited a hand specialist in Arizona on Monday and WGN reported there wasn't an infection in Wood's finger....it is just a blister. With the bullpen rested and the pitching staff coming off the 4-day break, the Cubs are trying to avoid placing Wood on the DL. A report in the Sun-Times indicated Wood will throw again on Wednesday and could be available for the series finale against the Diamondbacks. While the report did not indicate Wood's availability for Tuesday's game, WGN stated Wood would not be available on Tuesday and might not be able to pitch again until Thursday.
The Chicago Cubs could be facing fines for breaking rules "related to last month's draft" according to a report in the Sun-Times. The Cubs were fined "an undisclosed sum for at least two rules violations" and Major League Baseball "was investigating whether further discipline might be warranted."
"The Cubs reportedly broke one rule requiring clubs to report signing agreements to the commissioner's office and another rule "requiring approved agreements to be in place before signed draft picks take the field," according to the report.
According to a report in the Sun Times, here are the pitching match-ups for the upcoming series against the Brewers in Miller Park....
- July 28th - Ted Lilly vs. CC Sabathia
- July 29th - Carlos Zambrano vs. Ben Sheets
- July 30th - Ryan Dempster vs. Manny Para
- July 31st - Rich Harden vs. Seth McClung
Jerome Holtzman passed away on Saturday at the age of 81. Holtzman was a legendary baseball writer and Major League Baseball's official baseball historian. He was the beat writer for the Cubs and White Sox for 28 years and began covering baseball in 1958. He is credited with the creation of the save rule in baseball. Holtzman covered baseball for both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Baseball lost one of its greats....
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The undisclosed fine seems like such a minor thing.
Maybe the signing document got lost in the mail.
This seems like a non factor issue.
Cubs face Yusmeiro Petit tonight. He has a total of 17 innings of work but a 3.06 ERA and .74 whip. Based on the Cubs track record of being handled by unknown young starters Marquis better continue his good pitching.
I wonder if Angel Guzman will ever develop into that pitcher we have seen?????.......
it seems like we got a very good pitcher in our system and i think you guys know who i am talking about his name is Jeff Samardzija he struck out 9 and gave up 1 run and has 4 straight wins so if he can bring that up to the major league level we could potentially have 3 aces on our staff
I don't think Jeff is ready yet and I dont think he's an ace at the major league level yet.
Striking out 9 in the minors isn't the same as being in the Majors. Could he be in our bullpen this year. Yeah probably. Could he start if we had injuries, yes. Would he put up the same numbers he's doing in minors, possibly but doubtful. Could he do as good as Marquis or Lilly is right now. Possible.
But if he comes up he will be in the bullpen more than likely. There's just not room for him right now.
Besides right now we seem to need a spark in the offense. Then we'll be alright. Everybody looks at Theriot as a spark but I look towards Fuko to be that spark. I think the offense counts on him more then it seems. He gets key hits at the right time. Which he seems not to be doing as good of a job as of late. Of course Lee not doing much lately has hurt too.
But we will get a spark soon and then it will be ok. We're still in first even with our struggles of late.
They just seem to have lost a little of their swagger they had earlier in the season. Lets get these last two games in arizona and go into milwakee hot.
3 Aces?? Samardzia? Lol... maybe in 1-2 years.... Right now, between AA and AAA -- he has a 4.20 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP .... not bad -- but not major league ace level yet.... he needs to be brought along slowly cause he has good, power stuff... and is definitely the only true potential diamond in the cubs system
if the cubs can retain harden and dempster and if jeff comes p and is as good as he is in aaa we would have the best rotation in baseball and if mark cuban gets the cubs we could afford c.c and then the rotation would be amazing and that is of course if dempster stays like he is and jeff continues his success in the majors like he is havng in aaa
A couple of comments:
Gary, I agree with your previous post that "loser pussies wait around for somebody else to be the hero." Winners go home and f*** the prom queen (my favorite quote from THE ROCK).
Aaron, you made a comment about "greenies." Although the hardcore stimulants like methamphetamines, crack, and cocaine are included in this category and undoubtedly, some MLB players were using them, the policy was specifically created to dispose of the "legal greenies", things like Ritalin and Adderall. These things are easily prescribable by an MD if you have a documented need for them, but have been banned by MLB because technically, they're illegal without a prescription. But I can tell you from experience that without the use of these "greenies," it becomes exponentially more difficult to concentrate on the game 200% of the time. Things like Red Bull, Monster, Amped, and other "energy drinks" just have a ton of caffeine; consequently, they keep you awake, but don't do anything for your attention span. I, like many of you, watch every game closely, and TiVO the ones i can't watch. Derrek Lee and A-Ram look apathetic. Their intensity appears to have been turned down a few notches, although i'm sure they are giving it their best. Bob Costas has a great show on HBO right now called The State of the Game. I'm sure many of you have been watching it. They mention greenies in a small segment and how veteran, older players are having a more difficult time bouncing back from day games after night games. My solution to all this is to either A) find a friggin doctor to prescribe some Ritalin for you, or B) admit that you're tired and take a few days off. There's actually an alternative drug out there called Provigil that I checked and is not on the banned substance list. Provigil is prescribed for narcolepsy and is also approved for shift-work, which I think baseball can fall under. I have a feeling it might become the "greenie of choice" in a few years. However, it's expensive and not widely prescribed.
Lou and others, asking for an impactful, power hitter in the middle of the lineup... Bonds anyone?
Oh wait, my apologies Lou, you are not the one asking for a Bonds-like hitter. I did have a comment to your 9-0 win against Houston. You must not have been watching it because the game was a helluva lot closer until the Cubs blew it open in the ninth. And most of the early damage was done by our 5 foot nothing 2nd baseman, Fontenot, who I believe was batting 8th that game.
Tommy, loving the optimism, but the Shark aint ready yet.
He might have a key role on THIS team though. Its in the bullpen. The bullpen needs a shot in the arm as well. Maybe just maybe he can come in and do some great things in the pen for awhile.
Remember, Big Z came in from the bullpen in 01 and 02 and proved he can be a good major leaguer. It turned out, he was a GREAT major leaguer.
Lets put the Shark in the pen if he keeps up his AAA numbers. I dont trust him with a rotation spot yet. Especially he continues to suck up the first half like he has for the past two years.
Maybe he can platoon the rotation with Marquis? Marquis can have the first half and Samardzija, the second. (Just kidding, but my point on their respective halves stand)
I'm with you jerljr. This team seems to play as Fukudome dictates. I keep advocating putting him back in the five hole. I say this not only for Kosuke's sake, but for Aramis' as well. He seems better off with K behind him.
Im a firm believer in protection and having lineups go RLRLRLR and the like.
Again, this is a good team. Maybe even a great team. Our "D" and starting pitching is great. We have a good lineup.
Its just in a slump I believe. Have faith and hope Lou can switch the lineup to something a little more productive.
Have faith, Go Cubs!
I agree Matt.
Even though I think he is a "typical" number two hitter. The team seems to click better in teh 5 spot which I got a feeling he will go when Soriano comes back. Theriot batting second. It does put Fukodome in RBI situations batting 5th. Which is an upside since I would feel more comfortable with him up with a man on 2nd and 3rd with two outs more then anybody on the team. Because he is such a good situational hitter. Which is also why I like him in the second spot.
It goes against my instinct but I agree.
But of course I'm the same way about Soriano in the lead off position and I've conceded the fact that he does better there.
I think Fuko is trying to hard or something. He is swinging at a lot more pitches then he did at the start of the season. But then again, there was a lot of pitches that were called balls against him early in the season that I think were strikes. I think he stopped getting those close ones and has lost his image(instinct in that fraction of a second that tells him if he needs to swing or not) of the strike zone.
But he has really looked bad lately in some at bats. A lot more lefties too.
The Pad's lefty, Wolf, has been traded to the Astros of minor league pitching prospect, Chad Reineke. Cubs trade rumor to follow a little later. A former Cub may be coming home!!
I'm a believer in the lefty-right thing too but if you guys want Fukudome to bat 5th then where do you bat Edmonds...7th? I think Kosuke will be fine when Soriano comes back as he'll see a lot of good pitches batting between Sori and Lee. Personally I love this lineup:
Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
Ramirez
Edmonds
Soto
DeRosa
Theriot
I know it seems crazy to bat The Riot so low but he did fade down the stretch last year and being able to turn the order over is vastly underrated.
I am really hoping for a shake up in the Cubs' current batting order. Lee has killed the Cubs with hitting into DPs at crucial points in the game. His numbers are atrocious with RISP. And Ramirez, WTF! A week long 0 for 29, then after a short respite from his hitting woes he follows the previous drought with his current 2 for 30. In the clean up spot? That's down right devastating. I think he needs a wake-up call and in my opinion Edmonds has earned a go at it. They should just bring Soriano back now and have him more quickly lose his rust against MLB pitchers. I mean, what's the worst that could happen to the offense? They score less than zero?
"I mean, what's the worst that could happen to the offense? They score less than zero?"
Bingo, Gary.
JimK, who is the former Cub that could be coming back? I'm guessing "The Bulldog"
As much as I like Maddux, I'd prefer a bench hand. Someone in the outfield to help if Kosuke can't turn around.
How about Kenny Lofton? (I know, I know, I keep beating this horse)
Starting pitching is fine. If Marquis can't keep up, we'll plug in Marshall.
That leaves the bullpen...
Elliot...Wow...thanks for your research and everything about greenies. So can I just get it myself? Hell, I'll hand 'em out to the team before games, because obviously, they're lost out there right now. Are they safe though? I've been tired at work lately....so.....hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
man, apathetic doesn't even do justice to the kind of garbage we've seen from ARAM and Lee. EARN your damn money!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't tolerate that if I was Lou. He doesn't tolerate it from any other players, so why does he tolerate it from them??? Because they're stars? I don't give two shits....you pull 'em like you did Hoffpauir, Murton, DeRosa (when he was tired), etc. I know Cedeno isn't close to ARAM or Lee, but he can play third, and he really stung the ball against Johnson, but was just unlucky. I'd sit ARAM so he can start thinking about his personal crap while he's alone in the clubhouse or at the hotel. I'd start pinch hitting for Lee with RISP and less than two outs, provided one of the runners is on first base. I'd do that to prove a point.
You CANNOT be considered a STAR or be making that kind of money, and grounding into 20 double plays!!!!!!! Guys, we're just over halfway through the season....Frankly, I think he's on pace for a record there, and I wouldn't even be surprised if it was like 40 GIDP's at his rate. It's terrible. As someone on here said recently, he is by FAR the WORST .300 hitter I've ever seen.
Honestly, I can say I hate the guy....I think Harden does too....and every other pitcher that had a chance to win a game, or at least have a no decision after a solid performance....What a MORON!!! Dude saw 2 straight balls with runners on first and second, and swings at the very next pitch.....ALL you have to do is move the runners along, something you learn in Little League---hitting the ball the other way, or at least in the air.....
Carlos Lee is considered a power hitter, right? Kind of on the same level as D Lee (though, in my opinion, a far superior talent than D Lee), and I just watched the dude get behind in the count in our series in Houston, and it was like 0-2, and he gets totally fooled, and just flips the bat out, trying to make something happen, and the ball falls into CF for a bloop hit....
That is ALL D Lee had to do last night. THAT is what a STAR player is paid for. D Lee is TERRIBLE at the plate. Just flip the damn ball into the air...you don't have to swing for the fences every time like him and ARAM have been doing...bloop hits, as real stars (Carlos Lee) have figured out, get the job done just as well